Firsts for David

Our little David is getting SO big! He has been a busy boy so far this week. On Sunday, he pulled himself up on the windowsill. Yesterday, he learned to sit himself up. And today, he cut his first tooth! It is just barely showing in his gumline. So tomorrow we get to share all these goodies with his doctor at his 9-month check-up. Exciting!

Funny David

David is sitting on my lap as we check out the pics Daddy posted last night...and whenever he sees himself with the cinnamon, he starts chuckling! You enjoy that memory, do you, David? =)

Reading

Few things are as peaceful as a man in his evening reading chair.

Mischief

I didn't spill the cinnamon, honest.

A word on words

Perhaps you have been wondering why the vocab list has ceased to be updated. Frankly, Joshua is talking much too fast for us to catch everything! He is now putting 4 words together on a regular basis and can make a creditable attempt to repeat almost everything we say. He is still hard to understand to the untrained ear because he leaves off some syllables or ending sounds, but his articulation is improving daily. For example caboose has gone from "a-boo" to "ka-boo" recently. (By the way, rail fans, he can also identify tank car, box car, flat car, "double" tank car, coal car, hopper car, gondola, big steam engine, diesel engine, electric train, passenger train, dome car, railroad track, railroad crossing, crossing gate (goes up and down), signal tower, flashing lights, whistle, ding ding, hobby shop, and the list could go on.... And it is significant that his first 4-word sentence was "Old Towne watch trains.") As you can tell, we are finding it hard to get a word in edgewise. And beware, us parents, for our utterances are going to be retold far and wide! (As in "oh-kay!" - that's Chris - and "oh dear!" - that's me.)

Another anecdote on Joshua: Joshua is kind of like a hobbit and frequently has a "second breakfast." Today during his morning snack, he and I read Psalm 23 and discussed the term "shepherd." I then proceeded to sing the hymn of Psalm 23 and much to my amusement and a bit to my chagrin, Joshua covered both his ears and started droning loudly, "hmmmmmm." I know I'm not musically gifted, but I didn't think I sounded THAT bad!!

We have lift-off

Unfortunately the camera batteries were charging at 2:53 pm today when David accomplished his first "official" crawl, but we still wanted to announce this momentous event! Pretty soon my grandmother's prophecy will be fulfilled that the boys "will be running circles around us." We hope to post some footage of the crawl soon, so stay posted!

My day in a tuxedo

So, on Friday, Daddy and I drove to Lynchburg, VA, for the wedding of one of my Dad's college buddies. Mommy and David went to Richmond, VA, where Mommy threw a wedding shower for her college friend. I missed my Mommy, but it was good to get special time with my Dad. Anyway, for this wedding, I was asked to be the ring-bearer. I wasn't sure I was up for the task, so I practiced a lot in the weeks leading up to the wedding. You see, ever since the Memorial Day parade, I've had a weakness for marching, and have encouraged my family to march with me around the house whenever a marching song plays on the CD player (which is why I always ask to listen to my CD of patriotic songs). Recently, I've been marching while carrying a pillow, because that's what ring-bearers do. Also, I got fitted for a tuxedo, and we found one just my size.

We rehearsed at the chapel on Friday night. It was a lot of pressure at first. Many strange people were telling me what to do and where to go. I just wanted to take it all in from the vantage point of my Daddy's arms.

However, on the day of the wedding, I learned that if I walked all the way down the aisle to where my Daddy was sitting, then a trumpet would play. Boy, I sure wanted to hear that trumpet! So, when it was my turn to march, I started off. At first I was with two flower girls who were slightly older than me. They went on ahead, as I contemplated whether I could really do it or not. A friend of mine helped me at the beginning, and then I saw Daddy waving at me way up in the second row. I smiled back, and took a few steps. Then I realized that everyone in the whole chapel was looking at me! I paused, smiled a bit, and then remembered that trumpet. I kept progressing forward, still flummoxed as to why all these people were looking at me. I have to admit I blushed a bit. But now Daddy was so close, just a few more steps, and... there, I made it! The trumpet played, the couple got hitched, and everyone thought I was the cutest thing since Shirley Temple.

Now for some wedding libations!

After the wedding

Back at the hotel, I had a little time to put my feet up and eat some cheese. It felt good to relax for a few moments.

Then, we found this great playground where we waited out the interlude between the wedding and reception. Enough adult activities for one weekend, it was time to be a kid again!

More tux time

Then my day in a tuxedo started to resemble a James Bond movie as I found myself in the mouth of a whale,

hiding out in a tree,

and enjoying a fabulous time with my Dad! What a great time we had together!